alarm 1 of 2

variants also alarum
1
2
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alarm

2 of 2

verb

variants also alarum
1
2

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alarm distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of alarm are dread, fear, fright, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When is dread a more appropriate choice than alarm?

The words dread and alarm can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of alarm?

While the synonyms fear and alarm are close in meaning, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When might fright be a better fit than alarm?

The synonyms fright and alarm are sometimes interchangeable, but fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to alarm?

In some situations, the words panic and alarm are roughly equivalent. However, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When would terror be a good substitute for alarm?

The meanings of terror and alarm largely overlap; however, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of alarm?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alarm
Noun
This week, aid groups raised the alarm, saying that thousands of children have become malnourished and most people are barely eating one meal a day as stocks dwindle, according to the United Nations. Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025 Critics have also raised alarms over his challenges to judicial rulings and his statements questioning the legitimacy of the electoral process. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
But his legislation, AB 306, has alarmed climate activists, appliance manufacturers and labor unions. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025 Some people might be alarmed by the number of security fixes being issued by Apple in recent times. Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alarm
Noun
  • Even in the face of U.S. apprehensions about protectionism, European countries successfully organized their economies as one large, powerful bloc.
    Ngaire Woods, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Trump has steered the White House toward a rapprochement with the Kremlin, monitored with apprehension by most of the U.S.' allies and many domestic lawmakers.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Additionally, extreme fire weather conditions will take place in the Southwest on Sunday, with red flag warnings in effect for parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado.
    Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The warning was issued Friday at 7 a.m., and the latest update about this incident was released on Saturday at 7:56 p.m.
    Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Harassment, fear alter campus life As prestigious universities like Harvard became a focal point of outside scrutiny last year, external harassment had devastating effects on students, the report says.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Many in the scientific community have begun to talk about how to move forward, but fears remain that the Trump administration will proceed with its own report, assigning authors that represent alternative viewpoints on climate change.
    Tracy J. Wholf, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the beginning of the movie, Karsh goes on a date, but his grief scares the woman away.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2025
  • There were no players who really scared opposing defensive coordinators.
    Chad Graff, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • According to Breen’s brother-in-law, Corey Feist, many people worried that any move to take care of their mental health could affect their jobs.
    Christina Ray Stanton, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Moran worries that Alvarado, a diabetic breast cancer survivor who suffers from high blood pressure and needs to eat and drink frequently, will have poor access to her medication in detention — or after deportation.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The arrests came after town halls across the country have become heated, as constituents from both parties expressed concern over President Donald Trump's swift and far-reaching staffing cuts.
    Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • There is also concern that not all borrowers know their rights or the options available to help them.
    Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The king of the forest was once frightened by the sound of a bull.
    John Nemec, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The prospect of returning to the role, first for a West End reprise in February and then for the Brooklyn performance frightened her.
    Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • He was dismayed to discover that an awful lot of the job involved moving beakers from one table to another.
    William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The Treasury secretary’s inability to restrain Mr. Trump more effectively has dismayed some investors.
    Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alarm. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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